Electric switch



5 sheets-sheet 1 July 7, 1936. R. A. SANDT ELECTRIC SWITCH Filed oct. 5,195s R. A. SANDT ELECTRIC SWITCH July 7, 1936.

5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 5, 1933 o@ w 4 O l wb, @v S, ma Nv N .nw FmrlINVENTOR ROBERT A SAND-V,

BY 52522K@ @JJ/@pfl ATTORZIM/e R. A. SANDT ELECTRIC SWITCH July 7, 1936.

Filed Oct. 5, 1935 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 .@HFTH INVENTOR ROBERT A. ANDT,

ATTORNEY July 7, 1.936. R. A, SANDT i 2,047,083

ELECTRIC SWITCH Filed Oct. 5, 1933 5 Sh'eets-Sheet 4 FICL .lil LUIIIIIII..

INVENTOR ROBERT A. SANDT,

afn, maw/b ATTORNEYS Judy W9 W36,

R. A. SANIDT ELECTRIC SWITCH Filed oct. 5, 1935 ,MKE

`5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR ROBERT A. ANDT,

@QLM

ATTORNEY@ Patented July 7, 1936 :UNITE D :si-:mtas

FICE

= ELECTRIC SWITCH Y Application' October- 5,

ltClaims.

This invention relatesto improvements in elec'- tric switches, and moreparticularly -tosectional izing switches adapted to bev-incorporated'within a high voltage transmission'line to facilitatefthedisruption offa-sectio-n'of such linewand the finvention also relates toisolating or disconnecting switches. The4 switch, asa rule; ismounted-upon a steel 4,tower or otherV support andi-scustomarilycontrolled With other similarA switchesbywasingle switch handle-locatedonI the tower at La remote point.

It is characteristic offsuch switches that-they must be' designedv :toconduct considerablecur-V rent and therefore provisionv must .bemaderfor a quick make `and break to` inhibit destructive arcing forces.Furthermore, it-fis essent'ialthat the air gap between' the' parts "ofafswitchlunit, When in Vopen position, be as great asv possible toprevent the current from -jumpingtacross these parts.

The primary object of my invention-'iste 'provide an improveddisconnecting or 'sectionali'zing switch of the rockinginsulatortypefwhereby'to obtain* a relatively large' movement `of the'blade bymaking a: relativelys'rnall movementffof 'the l rockinginsulatonfandto provide"a construction such that, `when the i'switch'lis used as an# isolating or. disconnect switch, mountedvertically,the

rocking insulator Will not 'col-lect Water.

Anotherf'obj'ect ci' the invention resides ini the `provision of meansWherebythe moV-ing'insulaitor may be swung through' approximately sixtydergrees for: a imountingiin ahorinontalr posi-tion, or Vwhen usedas'asectionalizi'ngsvvitclf and through thirty d-egreesffforza; .mountingfinvertical posi- ,tionn` on whenf usedt asiianifisolatingforfdisconnect-`ing fswtch.

i Anotherobject"of'` theiinvention resides in" the provision ofitanadjustable? intercha-rigeable'` link utilized in the' switch` 'leg`4systeinA or`-"syste`m4` of "links, -said 'link being fceipableffoff useinl-*either 1933, .Serial Nor4 692,322

(Gl 200k-548) initialJopening-movement of the-switch .islaided -byproviding-a-pivoted cooperating Y contact on the'A endv o-f i one-ofV,the sections comprising the linkage, thereby providing. some movementIin the initial lopening movementto-break any' tendency of the-partsv tosticky; hindor freeze.

The invention Willmanbetter` understoodfrom the followingdescription-whenconsideredin:con-

nection with the accompanying drawings.`

- Inf-the drawings; Fig. 11's, aside elevation of a l single pole.-switch-- that nportion in dotted lines representing f the .closedpositionwandthev -full line fposition representingA the position ftaken-.Whena small initial releasing orfbreaking movement. has--takenfplace` Y Fig; Z isafside elevationY ofvtliey switch` in openposition; A

Y 1ig.v 3 is a sidevelevationof.thefswitehinA fu-Il fopenf position;

AFig-f4 lis--a verticalfelevationofthe counterbal- 2U Fig.- 5 is-^aVertical elevationl vievsn of the-,sta-

tionary' contact lmember, parts thereofbeing broken l'away and vinysection-in order to more clearly illustrate structuralN details;

JYFig. f 6 is a-` views showingn the-adjustable-i-nterohangeablelinkforming@ a sectionof the switch linkage;

Fig. 7- is -a-section` online 1-l` offFig. 6'; EigeSI--is assertion-onvli-ne 8-8 cf= Fig.-6; Fig: 9 is a'section-on line -S--S-ot Figc 1;y iFig( l0 is a side elevation-of: the switchshow-n as-mounted ina--verticar positionE to; f-unctionas an isolating or disconnectingswitch,ithedotted --line position representing the switch ini closed\position.

Referring more op articularly tothe --drawingal-in which like-numeraflsfdesignatelike 4par-ts throughout the-seve-ral views, thenumeral J6. represents anf'anglei-ron or the like mountingbase, Which-istype of switchreferrd tol-fabove," thusfobviatizg" part of atransmissiontower.` Pedestals l 1-are vthe necessityfof -carryingvextra partsonhan'dfor use when conversion? from* Jone` typef-off'switch Yto another typeiis desired.`

Switches "of the` type'referred to'ae usually'lo- 4cated in the open airan'df arevthereforef exposed to the elements suchfasfdirt,factorydusts;` s'leet and; ce,` thereby bringing unusualfoperating-conditions into being. When snow and icei-coliect on thecontacts; it V'is'fiiific'ult to 'fopen the'svvitch.

i Again," the switches oftenremain' inoperative for -long'periodsoftimel" fasiafrlesult, thefparfts "have-*af tendency vto i hold*together orstick. In

fthef Yconstrlitio'n dof the. present-invention, the

port I 2, mounted in alinement with the insulators I0 and II formovement about an axis substantially perpendicular to the plane of theinsulators I 9 and II. For this purpose, the insulator I2 may be securedto a rock shaft I3, in any suitable manner, the shaft being so arrangedas to be actuated by the mechanism shown, comprising a crank I4 and anoperating rod I5 which in turn is connected to a handle (not shown)located on the tower at a remote point. .While Fig. 1 shows but a singlepole switch or switch unit it is perfectly obvious that two or moresimilar units may have their rocking insulators mounted on the same rockshaft so as to be actuated simultaneously. The supporting insulators ofsaid additional units are mounted on angle iron bases, similar to base6, on the topl of the tower, and all of the bases are arrangedinparallel relation.

Fixed on the outer ends of insulators I0 and II are heads or caps I6 andI1, respectively, mounting brackets I8 and I9, respectively. On thebracket I8 is mounted the stationary contact member 20, more clearlyshown in Fig. '7 and to be described in detail, later. To the stationarycontact member are secured flexible conductors 2|, and these are incontact with a clamp type terminal 22, to which the transmission lineconductor is clamped. The clamp type terminal is also furnished with abolted connector 23 secured to the contact member 20. This boltedconnector is adapted to receive the mounting ends of each of two xedarcing horns 24, 24, said arcing horns rising vertically and beingspaced and parallel with respect to each other.

The stationary contact 20 shown in detail in Fig. 5, comprises, amongother features a pair of tained by the spring 28 whichl constantlyexerts pressure against Contact 25 and member 282. When the cooperatingcontact element or switch blade is withdrawn, nut 2S engages housing 21and prevents spring28 from urging Contact 25 too far to a position whichwould prevent the switch blade from making entry again between thecontacts 25. The contact housings 21 are brought together at their basesby means of a bolted connection 3l which also serves to mount thestationary contact member, designated as a unit by the numeral 26, onthe bracket I 8. A bolted shaft 32, also tying the housings 21 together,and passing through the contact members 25, serves asa stop for theswitch blade, to prevent the latter from falling below the lower marginsof the contacts 25.

The cooperating contact element or switch blade 46 is held in a switchblade holder 4 I, said holder comprising similar spaced members adaptedto receive the blade 40 between them, said blade being pivoted on ashaft 42, connecting the sides of the holder together. Each of the sidesof the blade holder is provided with an integral struck up portion 43,said portions mounting a cross piece 44 to which piece one end of themoving arcing horn 45 is attached, the other end of said arcing hornbeing attached to a shaft 46 (see Fig. 9). The blade is held normally inalinement with the longitudinal axis of the blade holder by means of acontractile spring 41,. one end of said spring being attached to theblade and the other end of said spring being attached to the bladeholder. As will appear from Figs. 1 and 9, the parallel sides of theblade holder are pivoted on a shaft 46, passing also through the spacedtrunnion members 48, 48' integral with the bracket 49 mounted on themoving insulator I2. As shown in Fig. 9 the sides of the blade holdermerge into an integral member 52, or in other words, this integralmember is bifurcated, the respective bifurcations being the sides of theblade holder. The trunnion members 48, 48 at their upper extremities areeach provided with an inwardly offset integral part 5I), constituting astop, against which the sides of the blade holder will abut when theswitch blade is moved to an open position, (see Fig. 2). Also, as shownin Fig. 9, the upper extremities of the members 48,A 48 constitutesecuring members for each of two contractile springs 5I said springsalso being secured in the struck-up portions 43 of the blade holder. Thepurpose of said springs will later reveal itself.

The blade holder, which is pivoted as described to the rocking insulatoris also pivoted at 60 to two spaced parallel members 6I, designated asswitch legs. The blade holder may also be considered as a link andlikewise the spaced parallel members make up a section of a linkagesystem. Another pair of spaced parallel switch legs 62 comprisinganother section of a linkage system is pivoted at 63 and also pivoted tothe bracket I9 at 64. A contractile spring 65 connects elements 6I and62. To the bracket I9 is secured the terminal 66, to which thetransmission line conductor isvattached. A pair of braided shunts orconductors 6'I lead from the terminal 66 to the blade 40 and are securedby separable keepers 68 to the switch legs and also secured to the bladeby bolts and nuts 69.

Very often, in the operation of switches of the prior art, it has beenfound necessary in opening or closing a switch, to slam the same so thatthe blade will be seated properly. Gradually through use or faultyconstruction, considerable loose play develops in the switch parts andconsequently when closing a switch, the blade may have a tendency to godown between the contacts too far and a poor contact will be the result.

Now, to obviate this fault, provision is made for an adjustable link orblade adjustor, interchangeable as between various types of switches.This adjustable link is shown at and comprises an elongated memberpivoted at 8|, between the switch legs 6I and provided with a slot 82extending from the free end of the link, lengthwise to a pointsubstantially midway thereof. Said slot has parallel edges and the edgesare also provided lwith teeth of the shape shown in Fig. 6. Bolts 83 and84, similar to carriage bolts are inserted in this slot and areadjustable to any point along the length of said slot by means of nuts83 and further held by said teeth. The switch legs 62 are provided witha pivot which rides in said slot freely and will abut against the bolts83 and 84 at whatever points in said slot said bolts are secured. Y

Viewing Fig 1, the full line position shows the switch blade not quitein its closed position. To bring it to its fully closed position, therocking insulator I2 is moved to the left by means o1' the rod I5 andthe blade gradually straightens 75 :ofithei,linkagefsystemforfof ftheswitch blade.r

-out andassumesthefdotted linef'position; Y lrrtfthe :same-@tima the zlgvarious ,-sectionswcf: .-thealinkage rsystemzjhayeatfunctioned; and infaccordancefwith .-a. predetermined adjustmentcof ithe bo'ltsffA and13843 the #linksff carrying ztheasliding. :pivotxi "This :arrangementwofthe adjustable 1lnkw181l. 44is desired"l where the |`switch -lismounted: vertically `to be used as--an isolating'switch, iin connectionfwithlfoil circuit breakers or4 the like. The prin- Lcipal pointis that:the samelink :maybe used interchangeably regardless of Whether'V the`switch is torbemounted horizontally.; vor vertically and therefore fitisv unnecessary tocarry in stock,

*various sizes-or types of links for-varying =types orfmountings of`switches. Y' fAfforward or backward-'positive adjustment, bymeans-ofthelin-k, can ber made 'to compensate Avfor any iirregularitiesffor discrepanciesv in: `assem- 'blyfso that theswitchblade will make perfect alinement with the stationary contact. In otherwords, *the-center liner oliv `theblade `can be made `toV coincideewiththe-center line of' the stationary contact. In substantially all othertypes of switches l this operating i fault `has `been -a source oftrouble. i' It inay-be overcome=by-slam mingthe'switch but thisis-notfldesirable The use -of the- `adj ustable link resultsV in suchpositive operation that -eve'r'il operating lshaftr torque maybe'compensated': for 'and =^when-several blades arebeingactuatedsimultaneously, said `blades will vseatrvvithoutv slammingthe l' switches.

`As stated, theinvention f' alsoseeks to v-provide an arrangement ofparts whereby during the initial breakingperioma quick Ybreak will' be`ob- ^tained and the moving parts will'be yvertically-acfceleratedata-rapid-rate, to dissipate thepower arc. ThisA is `not acharacteristicof structures in the prior art, since the blade usually moves `with thevmoving:insulator-and in a few instances, it moves but negligiblygreater than the moving insulator.

As mentioned previously, the switch legs 6| and 62 are mechanicallyconnected to the link Bil. As the insulator l2 moves from closed to openposition, the link tends to lock these switch legs in such a position asto throw the switch blade holder 4I through an angle of approximately 60degrees, at a predetermined point and actuated by the contractile spring65, thereby obtaining the quick-break so essential at the point when themoving arcing horn 45 leaves the fixed horns 24. The moving horn movesthrough an approximate angle of 60 degrees while the moving insulatormoves through an approximateV angle of 6 degrees, and therefore there isa relative movement of the moving horn approximately ten time as fast asthe movement of the moving insulator.

Referring to Fig. 1, the dotted line position of the blade and therocking insulator depicts the switch in closed position. To open theswitch fandY .initiate thezfbneak.- of '1 theV current, the finsu--la-tor this .moved ffromcthe dottedfline position,

inormallyzabout six degrees, by-meansfof :the .rod

t5 andlinkdhl'.A 'iE-'hismovement causes vthe blade into stakefthe :fullllineposition, which is somewhat f 5 lfcookedi, A;1:r1a :i1ig.fthe.spring Illl under .tension libut' still keeping thebladen substantialcontact 4with the stationary icontacts; Spring a 41 has the :tendency toacontinuallybringblade 'All v*back .into :alignmentwith -blade'hold'er41 and destroy the ."fcockedf position; fSuch cocked position willbedestroyed aswsoonr'as the blade 40 has been fpriedfreeoithescontacts2.5. ".Inaddition, springs 51?, on the blade iholder, `have beentensioned to afgreat.extent,therebyLstoringup .enough energy i whichwhenrel'easedyand' when supplemented `by the actiorrof llink '80 and--pivotal connection 60, l causes `the bladetobe quickly broken away'from =thefcontacts andlimmediately the blade assumes thesposition'shown`in Fig. v2; that is, the blade 20 'thas been `vertically accelerated'kto a position Where ethespower aro isldissi-patedandtthe blade 'hasfmovedthrough an fangle of' approximately 'sixty'degrees'A as' comparedto an approximate-six idegrees movement of ythe *rockinginsulator. 25Therefore it will be seensthat the blade'moves 'approximately vtentimes" fas fast as fthe element responsible for'its'- movement; that is,the -rocking insulator. `Having dissipated the power arc,

" utes` slightly to the quick Vbreaking action referredvtotbut-the'system-will function -as-well without it. Referring-now toFig: I0,it willbe-seen that U40 the same switch may "be made Vtofunction in g double'dutiy capacity, that-is, byv making a few changesabout to be-described, the switch will *function as -anisolating=ordisconnecting switch 4 by mounting the lsame-ina-verticalposition to "45 the side ofthe transmission tower.'Howeveig las those skilled: in 'the art are well awarefa pin typelinsulator cannot be mounted in-a position-greater than ninety vdegreestothe vertical (consider-U =ingfthe-Liirstquadranw orinclined,-at anangle toj-the horizontal (considering the `secondV quadrantlffor inAexceding these limitations, thel electrical eihciency of the insulatoris reduced, due to the fact that water will collect in the petticoatsand cause the insulator to rupture during a wet flashover. Therefore,the stationary insulators, I0 and Il, are mounted at a ninety degreeangle to the vertical. The dotted line position shows the switch inclosed position and as in the case of Fig. 2, the blade during its powerarc dissipating movement will still describe an angle of sixty degreesbut in moving the rocking insulator to the full open position, as shownin Fig. 10, an angle of but thirty degrees is described; that is, theangle between the center line of the rocking insulator in dottedposition and. between the center line of the rocking insulator in fullopen position is but thirty degrees. The interchangeable adjustable link8D, as used 7 in Fig. 1, is pivoted at 8l to the switch legs 62 and thesliding pivot 85, riding in slot 82, is carried by switch legs 6I, sothat the link takes the position as shown in Fig. 10, somewhat in thenature of a knee brace. The link performs the 75 4same function in theswitch shown in Fig. 10, as .it does in the switch shown in Fig. 1. Theoperating crank I4 and the rod I5 are changed, as shown, but all of thechanges referred to are practically instantaneous eld changes, involvingno changes in the size or shape of the parts employed. In the switchshown in Fig. 10, it is optional whether the stationary and quick-breakarcing horns are to be installed, since as stated, the switch is servingmerely as a disconnecting switch and often arcing horns are unnecessary.

Figure 4 shows what is termed a counterbalance spring. When a pluralityof the switch units are controlled by a single operating rod I5, due tothe fact that the mechanism is of considerable weight, jarring of theparts is apt to occur. The arrangement shown, eases or absorbs theshocks incidental to the coming to rest of the movable parts. A spring|00, is coiled about the common operating shaft I3 and is anchored atone portion to the angle iron 6 by anchoring means I 0I. The other endof the spring is anchored to the shaft by clamping means |02, con-Sisting of two halves having interior faces conforming to the shape ofthe shaft and held together by means of bolts. As the switch unit isclosed, the tension of the spring increases, thereby affording somemeans to absorb most of the jarring incident to closing. A plurality ofsuch springs can be mounted in the same shaft, one spring individual toeach switch unit, if so desired.

I claim:

1. In an electric switch of the type comprising two stationaryinsulating supports, and a rocking insulating support mountedintermediate the stationary supports, the combination of a plurality ofmovable sections pivotally connected to form a linkage, one of thesections being pivotally connected to one of said stationary supports, asecond section being pivotally connected to said rocking support, athird section being piivotally connected to each of said first andsecond sections, and a fourth section pivoted on said third section andprovided with an adjustable slot, said first section also being providedwith a pivot for slidable engagement with said slot, said sections andsaid insulating supports being substantially coplanar.

2. In an electric switch of the type comprising two stationaryinsulating supports, and a rocking insulating support mountedintermediate the stationary supports, the combination of a plurality of.movable sections pivotally connected to form a linkage, one of thesections being pivotally connected to one of said stationary supports, a

second section being pivotally connected to said` rocking support, athird section being pivotally connected to each of said rst and secondsections, and a fourth section pivoted on said third section andprovided with a slot having a plurality of adjustable stops therein foradjusting the length thereof, said first section also being providedwith a pivot for slidable engagement with said slot, said sections andsaid insulating supports being substantially coplanar.

3. In an electric switch of the type comprising two stationaryinsulating supports, and a rocking insulating support mountedintermediate the stationary supports, the combination of a plurality ofmovable sections pivotally connected to form a linkage, one of thesections being pivotally connected to one of said stationary supports, asecond section being pivotally connected to said rocking support, athird section being pivotally connected to each of said first and secondsections, and a fourth section pivoted on said iirst section at a pointlying between the pivotal points of connection of said rst section withsaid stationary support and said third section respectively, andprovided with an adjustable slot, said third section also being providedwith a pivot for slidable engagement with said slot, said sections andsaid insulating supports being substantially coplanar.

4. For use in an electric switch comprising two stationary insulatingsupports, a rocking insulating support mounted intermediate thestationary supports, and a plurality of movable members pivotallyconnected to form a linkage and interconnecting the movable support andone of said stationary supports, one of the members of said linkageconsisting of a link of elongated form provided with a xed pivot hole atone extremity thereof and an elongated slot having parallel marginaledges extending lengthwise of said link from the other extremity thereofto substantially the midpoint of said link, said pivot hole and saidslot being coplanar, the parallel edges being provided with teeth toengage a plurality of stops adjustably slidable in said slot whereby theeffective length of said slot may be varied.

ROBERT A. SANUI.

